Naami Oddoye: Financial Director – Advisor
International School Educator and specialist teacher; founder of TEN – The Educators Network, which advances professional development of Ghanaian teachers
Michael Addo: Project Manager – Director
International School Teaching Assistant, businessman, and Village Dreams’s on-site supervisor and problem solver who coordinates projects and facilitates communication in all matters between the directors and the villagers
Juliette Awua-Kyerematen: Director – Advisor
International School Educator and specialist in elementary curriculum; a director of TEN, The Educators Network, which advances professional development of Ghanaian teachersSylvia Ampofo: Director – Advisor>

International School Educator and specialist teacher; director of TEN, The Educators Network, which advances professional development of Ghanaian teachers

Ampeha

Nana (chief) Sesu Agyepong at his old school desk

 Nana Sesu Agyepong: Chief – counselor – advisor

The chief of Ampeha comes from a royal family line and was, as is always required, the nephew of the previous chief. The Paramount Chief of the region installed him as chief of Ampeha in a traditional ceremony in 2013. His duties are to help resolve social issues such as misunderstandings between people and also to solve the village’s economic problems, the lack of economic development and adequate access to education and health services.

Chief Sesu Agyepong is respected and recognized for his ability to maintain peace and good relations within the village and between the village of Ampeha and neighboring villages. As chief he represents his people at functions, festivals, and meetings with neighboring chiefs. He meets regularly with the paramount chief to report on activities in his area and to seek advice and guidance on any issues that he himself cannot solve.

How Village Dreams Began

On April 1, 2013 following the traditional rituals, Sesu Agyepong became chief of the village and area of Ampeha. The predawn ceremony took place on Obo Mountain at the palace of the Paramount Chief in the Eastern Region. Having now attained the lofty respect given to his new position, he began his mission to change the lives and fortunes of his people.

Even as the celebrations continued, Nana, “Chief,” Agyepong began to put his plan for getting his village on the path of economic development. He knew that all the villagers needed would be an opportunity. Given a chance, they would seize it and with hard work be able to look past the next day to a future for their children. His vision was that their success would help lift the entire community. With that in mind, he invited a friend of his, an American teacher from Accra, to visit Ampeha, hoping to engage her help with a couple of his dreams.

What she found at the end of a red dirt road was a village in desperate need of opportunities. The dilapidated dwellings, the astonishing disrepair of the school, and the lack of any sign of quality of life were stunning. The village needs were grim and appeared to be overwhelmingly insurmountable.

 

Returning home to Accra, she gave Chief Agyepong the money to start a small commercial chicken operation and to purchase sewing machines for two village ladies who wanted to open a tailoring business. She also collected some needed school and medical supplies to deliver on later visits.

After moving home to the US, the teacher was determined to continue to provide opportunities for the villagers to reshape their future, to begin their own businesses, improve their children’s education, and to increase healthcare prospects.

The tax exempt, nonprofit organization Village Dreams was the result not only of her efforts, but those of like-minded family, friends, and others in the US and Ghana, who believe that given a chance, villagers would change the course of their future and make their dreams a reality.